Dating apps booming amid pandemic

(CNN) - New numbers show an increase in people looking for love on dating apps during the pandemic, especially as we enter the cold winter months, sometimes known as “cuffing season.”

The latest data also points to a shift in the kinds of relationships people are seeking online.

Rachel DeAlto, Match’s chief dating expert, said that when the pandemic began, Match started to realize that people wanted to be “in lockdown with somebody else.”

The past few months have been record-setting for Match Group, which owns apps like Match, Hinge, OkCupid, and Tinder.

The increase in activity has been growing dramatically since the start of the pandemic.

Match Group saw a 15% increase in new subscribers over the second quarter of 2020 and the Match app alone saw a 40% increase in engagement since March.

“That’s higher than our typical Valentine’s Day season,” DeAlto said.

On Tinder, there were 3 billion swipes on March 29 and the Match Group expects even more user engagement this “cuffing season.”

“This year compared to last year, it’s been a 20% increase in messages and 30% increase in activity throughout Match in the month of October.

Bumble reports one in three users on their app are placing a bigger emphasis on finding a partner heading into the holiday season and says in the spring, it experienced a 70% rise in video calls.

Match says the latest data also reveals a shift in dating mentality, with more people saying they are being more authentic and looking for a serious relationship.

“Fifty-eight percent of app daters...have shifted towards more intentional dating, which means they’re really paying attention to what they’re looking for,” DeAlto said.